What are the different types of origami paper & its uses – here we discuss this. The quality of your origami models is only as excellent as the paper you begin with. Regular or standard printer paper or colored art paper will not do for most origami designs. We will go over the different types of origami paper you can choose for your project. We will also discuss their unique features and how they are made.
What Are the Different Types of Origami Paper & Its Uses
The term origami comes from two Japanese terms, Oru and kami, that both mean paper folding. Traditional origami works with a single sheet of paper and a sequence of precise folds.
That said, nothing stays the same for a long time, and this goes for origami crafts too. Origami has been around for decades and offers versions that are both beautiful, complex, and different from the ones we see. Arts, such as origami, are always growing. We can see new ideas, methods, elements, and goals come to the fore. These make the art of origami more beautiful and complex and widen our views.
When it comes to the types of paper used for this craft, Japan makes the best origami papers in factories that have been operational for generations. In these factories, there are workers who have spent years developing their skills. They start off with white paper and go on to embed numerous designs and colors onto it. This depends on the type of origami paper they are making. Numerous types of origami paper are designed this way.
The following list is by no means complete, but it does highlight some of the more popular origami types. We based these choices on the different types of origami paper as well as some of the older, more practiced ones:
Kami or Standard Origami Paper
The best origami paper is kami, which is a Japanese term for normal origami paper. Kami started off in Japan in factories that have been around for years and have people who have spent years improving their craft.
Depending on the style of origami paper they are creating, they begin with white base paper and add various colors and designs via inking them or stamping them on the paper. One of the unique features of this origami paper is that it has color on one side and white on the other.
The thickness of uncolored standard paper or a pure white sheet is approximately around 0.066 millimeters. In comparison, the colored side has a thickness of approximately 0.071 millimeters.
Two-Toned or Duo Standard Origami Paper
This paper is comparable to conventional paper, but both sides have colors in ink. When done right, this necessitates a second inking process. In cheaper versions of dual paper, the fibers have colors to save ink and money. It could be different colors on each side of the sheet or the same color on both sides.
The two-toned paper is more expensive than the single-color standard but less expensive than Tant due to the second ink run. Duo paper is also only available in complementary color combinations with the same color on both sides. Due to the extra layer of ink, it is the thickest compared to other types, measuring approximately 0.076 millimeters per sheet.
Tissue Foil Origami Paper
In this paper, colored tissue paper is a part of one or both sides of an aluminum foil sheet. Tissue foil is one of the easiest sheets to use for origami since it is a combination of foil and tissue paper. The only way to get this paper was to make it yourself, which was both costly and time-consuming. It is very thin, yet some of the largest sheets of origami paper, reaching up to forty to fifty centimeters squared, use it as the base.
Tant Origami Paper
Tant origami paper is the way to go if you want to show off your origami crafts to others and actually exhibit them. This paper has a pleasing gloss and a wonderful patterned texture. Tant origami paper has a thickness of approximately 0.118 millimeters per sheet, which is thicker than regular sheets.
Tant means a great deal, which translates to a great deal of color or intense colors. Tant origami paper has become well-known in the field of Japanese origami. It is a colorful fiber paper with a nice surface texture that does not break even after many foldings. There is only one paper mill company that produces Tant origami paper, and it is based only in Japan.
There is no doubt that Tant origami paper is the most popular than other types of origami paper among origami folders after the standard type. Tant origami paper is a part of various event exhibition origami crafts. Meanwhile, the standard ordinary origami is a less-expensive paper that you can practice with. To put it another way, Tant origami paper is more expensive than regular origami paper, but it will make your masterpieces look better.
Washi or Textured Origami Paper
Washi is a traditional Japanese paper made from long plant fibers. This paper has a specific Japanese flavor to it. It is specially designed by Japanese experts who have been passing down their knowledge for decades. It is usually quite light and has a fabric-like feel to it. Washi paper come in up to 500-sheet packages in a spectrum of colors. Each sheet is around 0.094 to 0.1 millimeters thick, which makes it thicker than ordinary sheets but not as thick as Tant.
Its long strands and lack of adhesive make Washi origami paper a thin and more durable paper that you can wet-fold. Models folded using Washi origami paper appear a little more lifelike due to the texture of the paper, which is quite soft.
What Are the Different Types of Origami Paper & Its Uses – The Key Takeaway
Origami crafts have evolved and progressed beyond birds and boats. There are various forms of origami available nowadays. In a survey, origami lovers came up with around a hundred different types of origami crafts. The catch here is that they used different types of origami paper for each kind of craft.
Origami, like other traditional Japanese arts, allows the folder to create and share something happy and peaceful. The kind or type of paper that you use depends on what you are looking to achieve with your origami craft piece. Any origami folder today would swoon over the incredible variety of origami material available out there. You can find it in almost any shop, art store, or craft shop in Japan. They have everything from classic Washi origami paper to metallic-foiled origami paper. Sometimes, you might even find some glow-in-the-dark origami paper if need be. So, choose for yourself the kind of paper that you know would suit or go well with the craft piece that you have in mind for your next project.